Severe floods in Malaysia and Thailand kill more than 30 people

 SEVERE floods caused by monsoon rains have killed more than 30 people in Malaysia and southern Thailand and displaced tens of thousands, officials said today.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said five days of heavier-than-expected rain that battered his country’s east coast last week was equal to the rainfall over the past six months, wreaking havoc in the north-eastern state of Kelantan and neighbouring Terengganu.

The heavy downpours damaged roads and houses in Kelantan and other parts of Malaysia. Rescue workers used boats to distribute food to victims trapped in their homes.

Mr Anwar said it would cost the government an estimated 1 billion ringgit (around £177 million) to repair infrastructure damaged by the floods.

The government is bracing for another monsoon surge that is expected to hit next Sunday, he added.

According to the National Disaster Command Centre, about 91,000 people across eight states remained in schools, community halls and relief centres after being moved out of their homes due to the floods.

At least six people died in Malaysia, while the death toll was higher in southern Thailand.

Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said today that 25 people had perished in floods in the southernmost part of the country in the past week.